Bridle-rod for railroad-rails.



PATENTED APR, 21, 1903.

J. R. JOHNSON.

BRIDLE ROD FOR RAILROAD RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

(Hot mu I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN RANDOLPH JOHNSON, OF EL PASO, TEXAS.

BRlDLE-ROD FOR RAILROAD-RAILS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 725,720, dated April 21, 1903. Application filed February 10, 1903. Serial No. 142,760. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN RANDOLPH J OHN- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at El Paso, in the county of 'El Paso and State of Texas, have invented certain new'and useful Improvements in Bridle-Rods for Railroad-Rails; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,"and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this speci fication, and to theletters of reference marked thereon.

The present invention has relation to that class of devices for attachment to railroadrails-for the purpose of bridling or bracing the same where the track is laid down first or in front of the engine by a suitable track-laying machine and holding the rails in position relative to each other while the engine passes over the track and the spikers follow to secure the rails to the cross-ties or sleepers, the device for bridling or bracing the rails being then removed and again used for the next section of track.

It is the object of the invention to provide a simple and practical bridle-rod for the purpose above describedthatwill possess strength and durability, also prevent the rails from spreading or lateral displacement on curves or on throw-rails or switches and firmlyhold the rails in a fixedrelation toeach other and against deflection, the construction of the bridle-rod enabling the same'to be quickly and easily placed in or removed from its position and adjusted to the varying space between the rails, as circumstances may require.

The invention therefore consists in a bridle-rod for railroad-rails constructed substantially as shown in the drawings and hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 of the drawings shows a perspective view of my improved bridle rod connected to the rails of a track to hold said rails in the proper relative position; Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section through a portion of the bridle-rod, showing said section on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3, a cross-section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 3.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents one of the sleepers or cross-ties of a railroad-track, upon which rest the usual rails B, and in order to secure these rails temporarily and hold them in relative position against displacement while the rails are being permanently secured to the sleepers or cross-ties I provide whatis termed, a bridlerod for the above purpose. This bridle-rod comprises three independent elements, two of which are adjustably connected to the other, and consists of thestationary rod O and the two gage-bars D E, which are disposed above 1 andbelow the rod, respectively, and adjustable thereon to engage or disengage the rod with the rails, the rodat its respective ends having suitable means for engaging it with the base of the rail, such means consisting in the present instance of the clasp a and the overlapping flange b, although any suitable means may be provided for this purpose, as found best suited to the particular construction of the rod. The rod C is bent, as shown atc, so that its two portions will be on different horizontal planes, so that when the gagebars D E are in place upon the rod the shoulder formed by the bend 0 upon its upper'and under side will form stops to limit the sliding movement of the gage-bars.

The bridle-rod O is provided with a guideloop d immediately in the rear of the flange b, through which passes the gage-bar D, and said gage-bar is also formed with a guideloop e integral therewith, thereby providing a simple means for guiding the gage-bar in its sliding movement and securely holding it against lateral displacement. The gage-bar E is also formed with a guide-loopf to guide it in its sliding movement and securely hold it upon the rod 0, and in front of the loop is an overlapping flange 9, similar to flange b, to overlap and bear against the base of the rail, or any other suitable means may be substituted for the flange, as found preferable.

The bridle-rod-C has a plurality of holes or perforations, as shown at h, and the gage-bar E has a similar number, as shown at 'i, to re ceive the bolts j 70, respectively, the bolt j engaging a single hole or perforation in the gage-bar D, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and the bolt is engaging in like manner a hole or perforation in the bridle-rod. This is one of many means that may be provided for holding the gage-bars in their adjusted position as required to adapt the bridle-rod to the distance between the rails, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to any particular means, as the means considered best adapted to the purpose may be substituted for that shown.

A further means are provided to hold the gage-bars in their adjusted position, consisting of the spring device F, in case the bolts should become mislaid or lost, the spring device preventing the gage-bars from moving in their adjusted position, and in case where the same gage and the same size rails are in regular use the bolts would not be required, as the spring devices would serve the purpose for immediate use.

.Any suitable spring-actuated devices may be substituted for the common flat spring shown, and I do not wish to be understood as limiting or confining the invention to the means herein described, as other means may serve the purpose, and any such changes or modifications that would come within ordinary mechanical judgment and skill may be resorted to without departing from the essential features of the invention. In the springs used the same is compressed when it is desired to slide the gage-bars over it in attaching or detaching the bridle-rod to the rails.

A very practical and effective bridle-rod for railroad-rails is herein provided that will be found useful in connection with tracklaying machines, where the track is laid down first or in front of the engine, and is also valuable in stub-switches in yards, in laying tram-roads, and for temporary tracks, where it is desired to obtain timber from the forests to the main track, in which case it to change its location as in log-roads or roads for mining-camps, side tracks for dump-cars. The bridle-rod will be especially found of value in the building of a temporary side track in the shortest possible time around a wreck to allow other trains to pass, the bridle-rod constructed in accordance with my invention enabling it to be easily and expeditiously applied and possessing the necessary strength and durability required in this class of devices. The particular construction of the bridle-rod renders it capable of being almost instantaneously removed or applied to the rails and can be used on tracks with broken joints and at any point along the rails by slipping it under the rails between the cross-ties or sleepers and removing it when desired.

In the present instance the flat springs F are seated in a groove 1 in the rod 0, their fastened ends being flush with the upper surface of the rod, and by pressing the free end of the spring down in the groove flush with the surface of the rod the gage may be slid over the same.

It is evident that the invention may be applied for the purpose of preventing the rails spreading at the joint, and thereby avoiding the danger of a wreck, or the device may be used in connection with railroad-rails in any manner that would be found useful towsecurely hold the same against spreading.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Abridle-rod for railroad-tracks, comprising a rod having means at its ends to engage the base of the rails and having a guide-loop depending therefrom, and slidable gage-bars having guide-loops with which the rod engages, and suitable means for holding the gage-bars in theiradjusted position, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. A bridle-rod for railroad-rails, comprising a rod having means at its ends for engaging the base of the rails, suitable gage-bars slidable upon the rod and provided with means for engaging the base of the rails, and spring-actuated devices for holding the gagearms in their adjusted position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A bridle-rod for railroad-rails, comprising a rod provided with means at its ends for engaging the base of the rails, said rod being bent at or near its center so that its two pertions will be on difierent horizontal planes to form a stop upon the upper and underside thereof,'gage-bars slidable upon the rod and having means for engaging the base of the rails, and guide-loops upon the rod or bars, and suitable means for holding the bars in their adjusted position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.-

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN RANDOLPH JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

W. SHIRLEY, S. BELDEN BURT. 

